sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "delays" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pressing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue gamblers.

She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur however principles stick with us forever."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no delay in advancing this crucial step".

High stakes for fixed-odds wagering devices

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering devices'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The federal government has actually rejected Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been planned to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, application of these modifications are now being postponed till October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.

This Twitter post can not be shown in your internet browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View initial content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Skip twitter post by Tracey Crouch

Allow Twitter material?

This article consists of material supplied by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other innovations. You may wish to read Twitter's cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this material select 'accept and continue'.

Accept and continue

The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites.

End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the announcement to lower stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will unfortunately take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a fact of government that ministers need to abide by cumulative responsibility and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made versus your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those praising her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not simply for her campaign but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds sports betting terminals create ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, individuals can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as live roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let players lose money too quickly, resulting in addiction and social, mental and monetary issues.

But bookies have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could lead to countless outlets closing.

In her action to Ms Crouch, the PM said the federal government had actually listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result sooner than April 2020 and "had actually concurred that the modifications need to remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter force next October at the same time as modifications to responsibility charged on gaming companies based abroad however operating in the UK.

The federal government states co-ordinating the date of the two modifications would mean the government would not be hit by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, considering that 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is understood for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach

Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually worked for various Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is believed to have actually been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He applauded Ms Crouch's "brave and principled choice" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be completely embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of the House took part his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it ought to be talked about as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill

He informed the BBC: "There are plenty of individuals whose lives have been damaged by this dependency ... We require to do this really quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gaming market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this hold-up. That's wrong."

Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down an amendment to the Finance Bill to attempt and bring in the modifications next April.